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KOVSH

Creator(s): Alexander Bogdanov Hildebrand (Silversmith)

On view in: Icon Room


About this object

In relief on the handle is a cartouche with the monogram of Catherine II, the whole surmounted by the Imperial crown. On the opposite tip is the Imperial double-headed eagle. In the bottom of the bowl is a medallion with a leaf border and centered on it is the Imperial double-headed eagle with St. George and the Dragon represented on his breast. The whole is surmounted by the Imperial crown. On the outside, just below the tip, is a medallion with the bust of Catherine in profile engraved with a garland. Around the bowl are five cartouches with the inscription, "By God's grace, We, Catherine the Second, Empress and Autocrat of All Russia, etc., etc., etc., awarded this kovsh to the head (starshina) of the winter garisson of the Urals troops, Afanasii Donskoi, for his demonstrated and true services. Saint Petersburg, March 1793"

Object name:
KOVSH
Made from:
Silver gilt
Made in:
Moscow, Russia
Date made:
1793
Size:
9.5 × 14.6 × 26.4 cm (3 3/4 × 5 3/4 × 10 3/8 in.)

Detailed information for this item

Catalog number:
12.65
Class:
SILVER
Signature marks:
MARKS A.G [in Cyrillic, stamped in the bottom of the bowl near the handle, mark is in a rectangular frame], St. George and the Dragon, 1793 [stamped in the bottom of the bowl near the handle], A.T [Assayer's mark in Cyrillic, stamped in the bottom of the bowl near the handle, mark of Moscow assayer Andrei Titov, active 1786-1798], swan in an oval frame [stamped on base of bowl near handle, French import mark after 1893], St. George and the Dragon, 1793 [stamped on top of handle near the top of Catherine's initials] INSCRIPTIONS Bozhieiu milostiu /my Ekaterina [inscribed in first cartouche on right side], "By God's grace, We, Catherine the Second, Empress and Autocrat of All Russia, etc., etc., etc., awarded this kovsh to the head (starshina) of the winter garisson of the Urals troops, Afanasii Donskoi, for his demonstrated and true services. Saint Petersburg, March 1793" [Around bowl]
Credit line:
Bequest of Marjorie Merriweather Post, 1973